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Apple tree help

Justamum
Justamum Posts: 4,727 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
in Gardening
Last year one of our apple trees got blackened leaves and didn't produce any blossom at all. This year apples did grow on it, but the leaves started blackening again, and all the apples on it are very small with black spots all over them. I've had a look at the RHS website to see if there's any information on what it could be but couldn't find anything. Is anyone an expert on apple trees? Is there anything I can do or should I just dig it up and start again? I don't know how old the tree is because it was already here when we moved in two years ago.

We have another eating apple tree which is perfectly fine, as is the Bramley apple tree which grows so much fruit I can't cope with it all!

Comments

  • Geodark
    Geodark Posts: 1,049 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    Justamum wrote: »
    Last year one of our apple trees got blackened leaves and didn't produce any blossom at all. This year apples did grow on it, but the leaves started blackening again, and all the apples on it are very small with black spots all over them. I've had a look at the RHS website to see if there's any information on what it could be but couldn't find anything. Is anyone an expert on apple trees? Is there anything I can do or should I just dig it up and start again? I don't know how old the tree is because it was already here when we moved in two years ago.

    We have another eating apple tree which is perfectly fine, as is the Bramley apple tree which grows so much fruit I can't cope with it all!

    Did you check the leaves for aphids and ants?
  • Mojisola
    Mojisola Posts: 35,574 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Justamum wrote: »
    Last year one of our apple trees got blackened leaves and didn't produce any blossom at all.

    Do the leaves get black spots on them or go black in some other way?

    Have you looked at google images to see if any of them match your tree's problem?
  • Justamum
    Justamum Posts: 4,727 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Geodark wrote: »
    Did you check the leaves for aphids and ants?

    No. Presumably I'll have to wait until next spring before checking for them? If it is them it's funny how they're leaving the other two trees alone.
  • Mojisola
    Mojisola Posts: 35,574 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Justamum wrote: »
    No. Presumably I'll have to wait until next spring before checking for them? If it is them it's funny how they're leaving the other two trees alone.

    If one tree is stressed through any root diseases or being too dry or too wet, it can succumb to pests and diseases that a neighbouring tree will resist.
  • Justamum
    Justamum Posts: 4,727 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    edited 14 November 2015 at 8:25PM
    Mojisola wrote: »
    Do the leaves get black spots on them or go black in some other way?

    Have you looked at google images to see if any of them match your tree's problem?

    They go black at the ends and curl up.

    ETA - I've just had a look at some images, and it seems it could be apple scab. So now I need to see how to stop it next year before it spreads to the other two trees.

    Thanks for all your help. :T
  • safestored4
    safestored4 Posts: 464 Forumite
    If it is scab then the thing to do now is to rake up and dispose of the fallen leaves to help prevent its spread.

    Then, have a look at the young apple shoots. Are they scabby? If they are prune them back and dispose of the clippings.
  • Justamum
    Justamum Posts: 4,727 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    safestored4 wrote: »
    If it is scab then the thing to do now is to rake up and dispose of the fallen leaves to help prevent its spread.

    Then, have a look at the young apple shoots. Are they scabby? If they are prune them back and dispose of the clippings.

    Presumably I can't put the leaves in the compost?
  • forgotmyname
    forgotmyname Posts: 33,072 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Dont compost them, Burn them if you can.
    Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...

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